Ruins of Alterac
 Ruins of Alterac | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | City |
| Races |
  Orc  Goblin |
| Formerly |
 Ogre  Human |
| Government | Hereditary monarchy (formerly) |
| Ruler(s) |
 Unknown |
| Former ruler(s) |
King Aiden Perenolde † Mug'thol |
| Faiths | Holy Light (formerly) |
| Affiliation | Horde[1][2] (lore) |
| Former affiliation(s) | Crushridge (in-game), Syndicate, Kingdom of Alterac, Church of Light, Alliance of Lordaeron |
| Location | Central-western Alterac Mountains |
| Status |
Being rebuilt (lore), In ruins (in-game) |
The Ruins of Alterac (or Alterac Ruins)[3] are what remains of the former Alterac City (or the Keep at Alterac)[4] located in the Alterac Mountains. The city was the capital city of the Kingdom of Alterac until it was attacked and put under martial law by King Terenas Menethil II and the Alliance of Lordaeron for their treason and pact with the Old Horde. Following the fall of the kingdom, the ruins became home to the Crushridge ogres who disputed the territories for years with the Syndicate. During the events of the Fourth War, the New Horde took over the ruins and began to build a major base here in order to keep power over the region.[2] They were not contested by the Alliance but were spied on.[1]
Bro'kin, a goblin alchemy supplier, can be found on top of the wall in the northern part of the ruins.
History
Early history
2,700 years BDP, following their victory in their war against the trolls, the humans of Arathor expanded the kingdom in size and power. After the death of King Thoradin, the empire founded new city-states in the wilderness - including Alterac.[5] The early human settlers built a city nestled in the Alterac Mountains, once the home of the Alteraci tribe, likely exploiting its position on important trade routes through the mountains.[6] Over time the power of Alterac and the other city-states grew as that of Strom waned, eventually the empire splintered into independent kingdoms in 1,200 years BDP.[7] Alterac was a relatively small kingdom compared to the others and the capital came to be known as "Alterac City".
Second War
By the time of the Second War, Alterac City was ruled by King Aiden Perenolde.[8] Following the battle at Caer Darrow, a number of renegade human soldiers assisting the Orcish Horde were captured by Uther the Lightbringer and his men.[9] After being interrogated at Capital City,[10] the prisoners were revealed to be from the kingdom of Alterac. An Alteraci prison camp was also situated near Alterac City, containing captured Dalaran citizens.[11]
For their treason against the Alliance of Lordaeron, Alterac City was attacked in retaliation by the forces of the other human kingdoms,[11] and most of the population abandoned the ruins of their former homes. King Terenas Menethil II of Lordaeron then declared martial law, deposing the traitorous Perenolde and imprisoning him.[12]
World of Warcraft
Following the Third War, Crushridge ogres led by Mug'thol have taken up the deserted ruins, now void of human inhabitants, while the former Alteraci of the Syndicate occupied outlying settlements such as Strahnbrad.
Wrecked meat wagons can be found near the northern rampart and at the gate, indicating that either the Scourge or the Forsaken attacked in the previous years.
At some point, Marshal Redpath of Southshore employed Alliance adventurers to hunt the Crushridge ogres settling in the Alterac Mountains, including the ruined capital.[13][14]
The ruins were later visited by Horde adventurers to retrieve the Crown of Will for Sylvanas Windrunner,[15] and by Alliance adventurers to retrieve Perenolde Tiara for Count Remington Ridgewell.[16]
Legion
During the Burning Legion's third invasion, the Archmage of the Tirisgarde arrived here to take back the stolen Tri-Disc of Frost from Ok'rok Icetouch, an ogre mage who had raided the Dalaran Crater with other Crushridge ogres.[17]
Battle for Azeroth
After the Battle for Lordaeron, a Horde group fled to the Ruins of Alterac.[1] During the Fourth War, the Horde planned to rebuild it as a defensible base of operations in Lordaeron.[2] In response, Alliance sent scouts to investigate the established fortifications and determine the numbers of local forces. However, no offensive has been done to contest the control of the city by the troops of the Horde.[1]
Geography
Alterac City was less extensive than the capital cities of the other human kingdoms, but still featured several points of interest:
- The palace, which remains relatively intact.
- A ruined church.
- A dilapidated town hall.
- A mighty gate, not unlike the one at Stormwind City.
- Two graveyards, one inside the city's limits and the other just outside, near Slaughter Hollow.
- Two watch towers.
- A snow-buried farm, complete with plows and grain silo.
- A well.
- A full set of ramparts that surrounded the whole city.
- The city used to have barracks, that were occupied by the Alliance and then destroyed by Deathwing prior to the invasion of Draenor.[18]
The city was defended by ballistae, whose wrecks still litter the ruins.
In the RPG
In Lands of Conflict
The Syndicate controlled the capital city for a time, but the Crushridge ogres drove them away. Now, what remains of Alterac City, the Ruins of Alterac, serves as the ogres' base camp and largest settlement. Mug'thol, a ferocious and crafty warlord, rules the clan from here.[19] The Syndicate is battling the ogres in order to retake the ruined city.[20]
In Dark Factions
Notably absent from Syndicate control is Alterac City. After it fell to the assault by Sir Uther and his paladins, people abandoned the city. The ruins now serve as a stronghold for the Crushridge ogre clan. Although members of the Syndicate excel at thievery and murder, they are no match for the strength of the ogres.
Even though the Syndicate regained much of its lands and more, Lord Perenolde will not be satisfied until he takes Alterac City from the ogres, thus he has offered a great bounty to anyone who can reclaim his ancestral lands for him, though it is dubious he would honor such a bargain.[21]
Notes
- Markers in Hillsbrad Foothills refer to it as Alterac City.
- Since Cataclysm, all of the original quests that took place here have been removed. It served no in-game purpose until Legion, where it was used again for the
[45] Chilled to the Core.
Gallery
The region of Alterac City in Warcraft II.
Alterac's location in Warcraft II.
The Alterac Ruins very close to Lordamere Lake in Warcraft III.
- Fan art
The Early Days of Alterac by Lost-In-Concept.
Patch changes
Patch 2.3.0 (2007-11-13): No longer an elite area.
- Grel'borg the Miser is the only elite now.
- Grel'borg the Miser is the only elite now.
References
- ^ a b c d
Alterac Scouting
- ^ a b c Rebuilding Alterac
- ^ File:LordaeronWC3.JPG
- ^ Alterac (WC2 Orc)
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 133
- ^ Tides of Darkness, chapter 16 (See for indications about the nature of Alterac's mountain passes)
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 141
- ^ Tides of Darkness, pg. 257
- ^ The Battle at Darrowmere (WC2 Human)
- ^ The Prisoners (WC2 Human)
- ^ a b Betrayal and the Destruction of Alterac (WC2 Human)
- ^ Tides of Darkness, Epilogue
- ^
[36] Crushridge Bounty
- ^ [40G] Crushridge Warmongers
- ^ [39] The Crown of Will
- ^ [7-30G] The Perenolde Tiara
- ^ [45] Chilled to the Core
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 10
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 87
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 85
- ^ Dark Factions, pg. 159
External links
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